GUEST ESSAY: Acting for our wounded heroes

Monday

Apr 7, 2014 at 1:49 PMApr 7, 2014 at 1:49 PM

By State Sen. Tom O’Mara

I think it’s worthwhile to look back at a recent event that went largely unnoticed at the Capitol. You might have heard about one key agreement that came out of it – a new law enacting what’s known as the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act. This new law will ensure, through set-asides and other initiatives, that 6 percent of state contracts go to small businesses owned by service-connected disabled veterans. It mirrors previously approved Senate legislation I co-sponsored known as the Jobs For Heroes program.The fact that we moved so quickly to enact this legislation highlights its practical and symbolic importance: it invests in the future of wounded warriors and their families. But this agreement to further assist disabled veterans was just one of a series of state-level actions announced at New York’s first-ever Veterans and Military Affairs Summit in Albany on March 20. The summit itself didn’t get the attention it deserved, largely because it was overshadowed by budget-related protests and rallies occurring at the same time. But it shouldn’t be overlooked.Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Department of New York Commander Michael Pascal said of the summit, “It is great to see the leadership in the state take the time to address and work on issues facing veterans and military families. This first of its kind Veterans’ Summit will be the foundation on which we build future programs and legislation in New York.”The summit’s overall goal was to bring together a roomful of the state’s veterans affairs-stakeholders to discuss ways that New York can improve programs and services for veterans and military families, especially in the areas of affordable housing, employment, education and health care. And, most importantly, it produced actions, including:- An expansion of the state’s “Experience Counts” initiative (http://veterans.ny.gov/content/experience-counts) to cover military spouses.- A new “Troops-to-Energy Jobs Program” whereby electric and natural gas utilities will undertake the first-ever statewide coordinated effort to place veterans in available jobs in the utilities industry.- The addition of a Veterans Working Group within each of the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils.- The creation of a state Department of Civil Service web portal for qualified disabled veterans to submit their applications and resumes for state employment.- The commitment of $50 million through the State of New York Mortgage Agency to help provide affordable housing to veterans and military families.- The introduction of legislation allowing New York to join the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.- New suicide awareness training requirements for employees of the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs.- The establishment of a statewide “Strike Force” to expedite federal disability claims for state veterans and their family members. On average, veterans in New York currently wait close to 500 days for a decision on their VA disability claims. Currently in New York State there are about 12,000 pending VA disability claims, with many of these cases more than two years old. The new “Strike Force” will significantly help New York’s veterans and their family members escape this backlog.- Requiring every state agency to appoint a veterans liaison officer to coordinate initiatives focused on veterans and military families and increase awareness of new and available benefits.You can read more about all of the initiatives coming out of the recent summit on the websites of the state Division of Veterans’ Affairs (http://veterans.ny.gov/) and Division of Military and Naval Affairs (http://dmna.ny.gov/).State Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-Big Flats, represents the 58th District, which includes the Southern Tier and portions of the southern Finger Lakes, including all of Yates County.